Ash tray assembly



-July 16, 1957 P. H. WALLER ASH TRAY ASSEMBLY Filed April 12 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PH/L /P H. WAL z. Ee

ATTORNEYJ' SH ASS M Philip H. Waller, San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 12, 1956, Serial No. 577,691

3 Claims. (Cl. 131-241) This invention relates generally to ashtray assemblies and more particularly to ashtray assemblies of the type which are nested.

In general, it is an Object of the present invention to provide an ashtray assembly in which a plurality of smaller ashtrays are nested within a larger ashtray.

Another Object of the invention is to provide an ashtray assembly which forms a compact unitary structure or assembly.

Another Object of the invention is to provide an ashtray assembly of the above character in which thesmaller nestcd ashtrays are readily removable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ashtray assembly of the above character in which the means securing the smaller ashtrays within the larger ashtray can also be used as a cigar or cigarette holder.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view showing an ashtray assembly embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the ashtray assembly with the nestcd smaller ashtrays removed.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of one of the smaller ashtrays.

In general, the invention shown in the drawing consists of a large ashtray or case 11 and a plurality of smaller ashtrays 12 nestcd therein. As shown in the drawing, the large ashtray 11 is formed of or stamped from a piece of suitable material such as metal and is substantially dish-shaped. The ashtray 11 is provided with a large centralwell 13 which is bo'dered by a rim 14. A decorative flange 16 depends from the rim 14 and serves to substantially hide the body portion 17 of the ashtray. Three transversely curved, substantially diamond-shaped holders 21 are fixed to the rim 14 and are equally spaced about the rim. Additional holders may be fastened to the rim if desired. It will be noted that portions of the holders 21 extend over the central well 13 of the ashtray 11 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The central well 13 within the large tray is adapted to accommodate a plurality of nested smaller ashtrays 12. Each of the ashtrays is of a diameter slightly less than that of the central well 13. The smaller ashtrays 12 are also stamped from a single sheet of suitable material such as metal and are substantially dish-shaped.

Each of the ashtrays 12 is provided with a truncated cone shaped inner raised portion 24 which is provided with radially disposed recesses` 26 adapted to engage cigarettes or the like to prevent them from rolling from the raised portion of the ashtray When they have been 2,799,280 Patented July 16, 1957 placed o n the raisedpor tion. Each of the smaller ashtrays 1 2 1 `also provided with a bottom wall portion 27 which slopesdownwardly and outwardly from the inner psrt qn .24 .i na p rpose er a t r descri ch 'ashtray 4-2 is' alsoprovidedwith .anoutwardly and up,-

vgarily sloping side wall portion 28. whichmakes nesting possible. `A small horizontal rim :29 extends outwardly frpmt i d wa l pif en ;28 A l a thre not 32 are Qrme 'ths im %Saa -i h ide wall p tion 2 of each of the ashtrays 12 so that the ashtrays 12 can pass the holders 21 and be nested within the larger ashtray 11 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Suitable spring means is provided for urging the nestcd ashtrays 12 into engagement with the holders 21 and can consist of a spring 34 shaped substantially as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The upwardly extending portions 36 of the spring 34 are adapted to engage the raised portion 24 of the lowermost ashtray 12 of the group of ashtrays nestcd within the larger ashtray. The upwardly eX- tending portions of the spring 36 are curved to prevent catching or scratching the smaller ashtrays.

Operation of my invention may now be described as follows: Let it be assumed that the ashtray assembly is in the condition shown in Figure l and that it is desired to insert additional smaller ashtrays into the larger ashtray. A small ashtray 12 is then lowered onto the ashtray 12 already within the large ashtray and is rotated until the notches 32 are in registry with the holders 21. The smaller ashtrays are then depressed downwardly until the rim 29 of the uppermost ashtray passes below the holders 21 and then the uppermost ashtray is rotated slightly so that the notches 32 are no longer in registry with the holders 21. The smaller ashtrays may then be released and the holders 21 and the spring 34 will hold them in place. Thus, a large number of smaller ashtrays may be placed within the large ashtray.

When it is desired to remove a smaller ashtray from the assembly, the uppermost ashtray is rotated by grasping the raised portion 24 and twisting the same until the notches 32 in the uppermost ashtray are in registry with the holders 21. The spring 34 will then urge the nestcd ashtrays upwardly and force the uppermost ashtray past the holders 21 after which it may be lifted from the ashtray assembiy. The other ashtrays will not be pushed upwardly past the holders 21 because normally the notches in each of the ashtrays are not in registry with each other.

The bottom wall of the smaller ashtrays 12 has been sloped so that they will turn more easily when they are being placed in and removed from the ashtray assembly. In addition, the sloping bottom wall serves to protect the furniture if a cigarette should happen to drop off of the raised portion onto the bottom of the ashtray. It will be noted that the holders 21 and the notches 32 both serve two functions. The holders and notches serve the purpose already described and they also serve as holders for cigarettes or cigars which may be placed upon them.

The large ashtray can be used as an ashtray when the smaller ashtrays are mounted within the same and the large ashtray can still be used as an ashtray when all of the smaller ashtrays and the spring 34 have been removed.

I claim:

1. In an ashtray assembly, a large dish-like ashtray having a central well and a rim encircling said central well, at least three holders or catches mounted on said rim and being angularly spaced about said rim, a portion of each of said holders eXtending inwardly over the central well in said large ashtray, a plurality of smaller dishlike ashtrays nestcd within said large ashtray, said smaller ashtrays being slightly smaller than the central well in said large ashtray and having a plurality of notches in their outer edges adapted to register with the portions of the holders extending over the central well to permit insertion and removal of said smaller ashtrays into and from said large ashtray, and spring means moun ted within said large ashtray and engaging the lowermost smaller ashtray for continuously urgng said smaller ashtrays upwardly out of said Central well, said smaller ashtrays being adapted to be rotated with respect to each other within said large ashtray to move the notches of the uppermost smaller ashtray out of registry with the holders so that the holders will engage the upper portion of therim of the smaller uppermost ashtray to prevent ejection of the smaller ashtrays by said spring means.

2. An ashtray assembly as in claim 1 wherein said smaller ashtrays are provided With an inner raised portion and wherein said spring means is adapted to engage the inner raised portion.

3. An ashtray assembly as in claim 2 wherein each of said smaller ashtrays has a bottom wall sloping outwardly and downwardly from the inner raised portion.

No references cted; 

